Veteran MP Diane Abbott has been suspended from the Labour Party for a second time following renewed controversy over comments on racism during a recent BBC interview.
Labour MP Diane Abbott has been suspended from the party for the second time, following remarks made during a BBC Radio 4 interview in which she reiterated earlier views on racism.
A spokesperson for the Labour Party confirmed:
Diane Abbott has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party, pending an investigation. We cannot comment further while this investigation is ongoing.
Abbott had initially been suspended in 2023 after writing a letter to The Observer suggesting that the racism faced by Black people was distinct from the prejudice experienced by Jewish, Irish, and Traveller communities.
She later withdrew the remarks and issued an apology, calling the published letter an early draft. However, in a recent interview, Abbott said she did not regret the comments, reigniting the controversy.
Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism,” she told the BBC.
“You can see a Black person walking down the street. That’s not the case with Jewish or Traveller individuals.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner responded, saying she was "disappointed" by Abbott’s remarks and emphasised Labour’s zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism.
Abbott, the longest-serving female MP and the first Black woman elected to Parliament, has often been at odds with the party leadership.
Her most recent comments have raised fresh questions about the boundaries between free expression and the responsibilities of public office within the Labour Party.
Photo credit: Sophie Brown, via Wikimedia Commons.
See Also:
0 Comments